"9.8 electors deleted in pre-SIR exercise in Odisha": BJD MP Sasmit Patra urges inquiry, transparency

New Delhi [India], April 21 : Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra on Tuesday alleged deletion of the names of 9.8 electors in Odisha during the preparations of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

Writing to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Patra urged the Election Commission to ensure that no deletion is finalised before an inquiry and the data is shared publicly.

He claimed that the Chief Electoral Officer of Odisha has reportedly received a substantial volume of complaints against wrongful deletions.

The BJD MP wrote, "It has been widely reported, and administratively acknowledged, that approximately 9.8 lakh electors have been identified for potential deletion during the preliminary verification phase. While the objective of maintaining accurate electoral rolls is fundamental to the integrity of elections, the scale, pattern, and process underlying these proposed deletions raise serious and substantive concerns."

"There now exists prima facie evidence-derived from multiple independent reports as well as statements attributable to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha, suggesting procedural irregularities and a real risk of wrongful disenfranchisement," he added.

Flagging a failure of mandatory field verification, Sasmit Patra alleged that the Booth Level Officers did not undertake the requisite physical verification before deletions of the name.

"Credible reports indicate that, in several instances, Booth Level Officers did not undertake the requisite physical verification prior to flagging electors for deletion. Such omissions constitute a deviation from established electoral procedures and raise serious questions about the integrity of the process," he wrote.

He also alleged, "2 lakh objections (under form 7) have reportedly been filed in a short span, necessitating intervention and temporary suspension of scrutiny by the authorities. Such a large volume of grievances is indicative of widespread public concern and potential inaccuracies in the deletion exercise."

Taking note of voter deletions flagged in other states where the SIR exercise was conducted, he said that the judiciary has issued directions emphasising transparency and due process.

"It may also be noted that similar concerns regarding voter deletions and verification processes in other states have attracted judicial attention, including directions emphasising transparency, due process, and accessibility of corrective mechanisms. Taken cumulatively, the above factors establish a credible prima facie case that the current exercise, unless subjected to robust safeguards, risks the inadvertent exclusion of eligible voters," the BJD MP wrote.

He asked the ECI to "Ensure that no deletion is finalised without rigorous, documented, and independently verifiable field inquiry. Direct a comprehensive, state-wide re-verification of all cases flagged for deletion during the preparatory phase. Mandate full transparency through public disclosure of constituency-wise and category-wise data on proposed deletions, along with reasons."

"Establish an independent audit or supervisory mechanism in districts where large-scale discrepancies have been reported. Strengthen grievance redressal systems to ensure that every affected elector is given adequate notice, opportunity to respond, and facilitation for restoration where warranted. Release a detailed response from the Commission outlining the corrective and preventive steps being undertaken. Depute an ECI Team to Odisha for reviewing the situation there and submitting a detailed report to CEC, ECI," Patra asked the poll body.

The preparatory work for the SIR exercise began earlier in April, as the revision of the voter list will take place in the third phase in Odisha.

After the completion of SIR in Bihar in Phase I, nine States, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal and three UTs, namely Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep and Puducherry, were included in Phase II of the exercise.

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